INTRODUCTION. IF a concatenation of events centered in one great action, events which gave birth to the prefent commercial fyftem of the world; if these be of the first importance in the civil history of mankind, the Lufiad, of all other poems, challenges the attention of the Philofopher, the Politician, and the Gentleman. In contradiftinction to the Iliad and Æneid, the Paradife Loft has been called the Epic Poem of Religion. In the same manner may the Lufiad be named the Epic Poem of Commerce. The happy completion of the most important designs of Henry Duke of Vifeo, Prince of Portugal, to whom Europe owes both Gama and Columbus, both the eastern and the western worlds, constitutes the subject of that celebrated epic poem (known hitherto in England almost only by name) which is now offered to the English reader. But before we proceed to the historical introduction neceffary to elucidate a poem founded on fuch an important period of history, fome attention is due to the opinion of those theorists in political philofophy, who lament VOL. I. a lament that either India was ever discovered, and who affert that the increase of trade is big with the real misery of mankind, and that commerce is only the parent of degeneracy, and the nurse of every vice. Much indeed may be urged on this fide of the question, but much alfo may be urged against every inftitution relative to man. Imperfection, if not neceffary to humanity, is at least the certain attendant on every thing human. Though fome part of the traffic with many countries refemble Solomon's importation of apes and peacocks; though the fuperfluities of life, the baubles of the opulent, and even the luxuries which enervate the irrefolute and administer disease, are introduced by the intercourfe of navigation; the extent of the benefits which attend it, are alfo to be confidered, ere the man of cool reafon will venture to pronounce that the world is injured, and rendered lefs virtuous and lefs happy by the increase of commerce. If a view of the ftate of mankind, where commerce opens no intercourfe between nation and nation, be neglected, unjuft conclufions will certainly follow. Where the state of barbarians, and of countries under the different degrees of civilization, are candidly weighed, we may reasonably expect a juft decifion. As evidently as the appointment of Nature gives pafture to the herds, fo evi dently is man born for fociety. As every other |